David Cameron: Politicians calling for an end to austerity are selfish
2 min read
David Cameron has accused politicians calling on the Government to increase public spending of being "selfish" for wanting to spend money the country does not have.
The former Prime Minister said they wanted to appear "generous and compassionate" to voters, when the opposite was the case.
He spoke out in the wake of calls by several Cabinet ministers for the cap on public sector pay to be lifted.
Speaking at the Asia Leadership Conference in Seoul, South Korea, Mr Cameron said: "The opponents of so-called austerity couch their arguments in a way that make them sound generous and compassionate.
"They seek to paint the supporters of sound finances as selfish, or uncaring. The exact reverse is true. Giving up on sound finances isn’t being generous, it’s being selfish: spending money today that you may need tomorrow."
Boris Johnson, Michael Fallon, Michael Gove and Chris Grayling are among the senior ministers who have suggested that the 1% cap on public sector wage rises should be eased in the Budget.
In a speech last night, Chancellor Philip Hammond called for a "grown up debate" on the issue – but hinted that taxes may have to be raised to pay for any change in policy.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "The Chancellor was setting out a clear argument for the UK continuing to deal with its debts in a responsible way while acknowledging the hard work and sacrifice the British people have made to get the deficit down."
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